On the NFL’s first preseason cutdown day, a trade and several key players going on injured reserve overshadowed other moves.

In an unusual transaction for its timing, New England sent six-time Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay on Tuesday for tight end Tim Wright and a draft choice. The Patriots apparently are satisfied with a young group of blockers, and the Buccaneers were desperate to improve their offensive line.

“He has a history of a certain type of play in the league,” new Bucs coach Lovie Smith said, adding that the 10th-year pro will bring leadership on and off the field. “We got better, kind of simple as that.”

Bringing in a tight end could mean the Patriots are particularly concerned when Rob Gronkowski can return to the lineup. The injury-prone Gronkowski, coming off right knee surgery, only recently began to take part in contact drills.

While Gronkowski works to come back, gone for the season are Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji. Both went on injured reserve Tuesday, Bradford after tearing his left ACL for the second straight year, Raji with a torn biceps.

Merriweather to appeal suspension

Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather will appeal the two-game suspension for his latest helmet-to-helmet blow, a hit his coach called a “legitimate football play” while teammates stood up for him with much stronger words.

Coach Jay Gruden said he hopes the team can get the NFL to revoke or reduce the sanction for the hit on Torrey Smith in Saturday’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. It is the sixth time Meriweather has been cited for a violation of player safety rules.

“Unfortunately, for Brandon, he’s got a history of these types of events,” Gruden said. “Whether or not it was significant enough to warrant a suspension is what they decided. … He tried to lower his target, I thought. I thought it was a legitimate football play, but the NFL didn’t see it that way.”

Meriweather was suspended for two games last year for a pair of helmet-first hits in game against the Chicago Bears, but the penalty was reduced to one game after an appeal.

Jets’ Patterson benched

Dimitri Patterson’s suspension will last a few more days. The New York Jets announced that the veteran cornerback who went AWOL for 48 hours last weekend will sit out for the rest of the week, including the preseason finale at Philadelphia on Thursday night, but is eligible to return to the team Monday.

The team also said that additional terms of discipline would not be disclosed. Patterson is likely facing a team-imposed fine.

Patterson had been suspended indefinitely on Monday after he left the team last Friday night before the Jets’ preseason game against the Giants without speaking to anyone in the organization. The Jets wouldn’t provide details on the reason Patterson gave for what the team called an “unexcused” absence.

Seahawks fined $300,000

The Seattle Seahawks will forfeit two days of on-field minicamp practices next offseason after being penalized by the league for excessive physical contact during their 2014 minicamp.

The league confirmed the penalties on Tuesday. ESPN.com first reported the violation and that Seattle would be fined $300,000 for the infractions.

Seattle will be docked the first two days of its 2015 mandatory minicamp and will be permitted one 2 1/2-hour practice on the final day. Seattle’s players will be paid for all three days of the camp. The minicamp this past June was highlighted by a fight between All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman and wide receiver Phil Bates that was caught by television cameras.

Seattle also lost a pair of organized team activities during the 2012 offseason due to excessive contact.

Also …

Brady Quinn was among the cuts made by the Dolphins when the team made 11 moves in order to meet the NFL’s deadline for paring the roster down to 75 players. … New York Giants left guard Geoff Schwartz has a dislocated right big toe and will be in a walking boot for a week to 10 days. New Orleans Saints outside linebacker Victor Butler, who was seen as a key free agent acquisition and projected starter in 2013, was among eight cuts as the club prepares to close out the preseason with a roster of 75 players. … The New York Giants have traded first-year kicker Brandon McManus to the Denver Broncos for a conditional draft pick next year. The Broncos were in need of a kicker after Matt Prater was suspended for the first four games for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy by drinking beer. Dallas defensive end Anthony Spencer’s recovery from microfracture surgery on his left knee is coming along well enough for him to start the season on the active roster. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on his radio show Tuesday that Spencer wouldn’t be ready for the Sept. 7 opener against San Francisco, but would avoid a six-week stay on the physically unable to perform list.